Article 1. Returns, Reports, And Payments of California Revenue And Taxation Code >> Division 2. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 1.

Each supplier shall prepare and file with the board a return in the form as prescribed by the board, which may include, but not be limited to, electronic media showing the total number of gallons of motor vehicle fuel removed, sold, or entered within this state during each calendar month, or that monthly period ended during that calendar month as the board may authorize, the amount of tax due for the month covered by the return, and other information as the board deems necessary for the proper administration of this part. The person shall file the return on or before the last day of the month following the monthly period to which it relates, together with a remittance payable to the Controller for the amount of tax due for that period less whatever amounts may have been paid theretofore for the same period because of returns, prepayment forms, and payments made on a weekly basis. To facilitate the administration of this part, the board may require the filing of the returns for other than monthly periods. Returns shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the board.

(a) Each terminal operator shall prepare and file with the board a report in the form as prescribed by the board, which may include, but not be limited to, electronic media showing, for the calendar month, or that monthly period ended during the calendar month as the board may authorize, the following:
  (1) The name and license number of each person that is a position holder at each terminal it operates;
  (2) The amount of motor vehicle fuel received at each terminal it operates;
  (3) The identity of each position holder with respect to the rack removals of motor vehicle fuel from each terminal it operates and the volume and dates of the removals;
  (4) The amount of motor vehicle fuel stored at each terminal it operates;
  (5) The destination (by state) of all motor vehicle fuel removed at a terminal rack of each terminal it operates, to the extent that information has been provided to the terminal operator; and
  (6) Any other information required by the board for the proper administration of this part. The terminal operator shall file the report on or before the last day of the month following the monthly period to which it relates. To facilitate the administration of this part, the board may require the filing of the reports for other than monthly periods. Reports shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the board.
  (b) Upon written approval of the board, a terminal operator may satisfy the requirements of subdivision (a) above by executing and providing to the board a consent and authorization for the Internal Revenue Service to provide to the board under Section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code, the return filed by the terminal operator under Section 48.4101-2 of Title 26 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The board may, in its sole discretion, rescind its approval and require a terminal operator to file reports as specified in subdivision (a).

(a) Each pipeline operator and vessel operator shall prepare and file with the board a report in the form as prescribed by the board, which may include, but not be limited to, electronic media showing, for the calendar month, or that monthly period ended during the calendar month as the board may authorize, all of the following:
  (1) The amount of motor vehicle fuel delivered to each terminal or refinery.
  (2) The location of the terminal or refinery where the motor vehicle fuel was delivered.
  (3) The date of delivery.
  (4) Any other information required by the board for the proper administration of this part. The pipeline operator and vessel operator shall file the report on or before the last day of the month following the monthly period to which it relates. To facilitate the administration of this part, the board may require the filing of the reports for other than monthly periods. Reports shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the board.
  (b) Upon written approval of the board, a pipeline operator and vessel operator may satisfy the requirements of subdivision (a) by executing and providing to the board a consent and authorization for the Internal Revenue Service to provide to the board under Section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code, the return filed by the pipeline operator and vessel operator under Section 48.4101-2 of Title 26 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The board may, in its sole discretion, rescind its approval and require a pipeline operator and vessel operator to file reports as specified in subdivision (a).

Each train operator shall prepare and file with the board a report in the form as prescribed by the board, which may include, but not be limited to, electronic media showing, for the calendar month, or that monthly period ended during the calendar month as the board may authorize, all of the following:
  (a) The amount of motor vehicle fuel, alcohol, and aircraft jet fuel delivered into, out of, or within this state.
  (b) The location where the motor vehicle fuel, alcohol, or aircraft jet fuel was delivered.
  (c) The date of delivery.
  (d) Any other information required by the board for the proper administration of this part. The train operator shall file the report on or before the last day of the month following the monthly period to which it relates. To facilitate the administration of this part, the board may require the filing of the reports for other than monthly periods. Reports shall be authenticated in a form or pursuant to methods as may be prescribed by the board.

(a) Each person subject to the tax imposed under Section 7361, on or before February 28, 2002, shall prepare and file with the board, on forms prescribed by the board, a return showing the total number of gallons of motor vehicle fuel owned by the person on January 1, 2002, for which a tax has not been imposed under Part 2 (commencing with Section 7301) as in effect on December 31, 2001, the amount of the tax imposed, and any other information that the board deems necessary for the proper administration of this part. The return shall be accompanied by a remittance payable to the Controller in the amount of tax due.
  (b) Any distributor, as defined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 7361, who has tax-paid motor vehicle fuel in the bulk transfer/terminal system on January 1, 2002, which was purchased prior to January 1, 2002, shall report the tax-paid gallons on the subdivision (a) return. The amount of taxes paid on the tax-paid gallons shall constitute a credit against the amount of taxes due and payable on the subdivision (a) return, or on the supplier's January 2002 return required under Section 7651, and for each succeeding return until the credit is fully utilized.

On or before August 31, 2010, each person subject to the storage tax imposed under Section 7361.1 shall prepare and file with the board, in a form prescribed by the board, a return showing the total number of gallons of tax-paid motor vehicle fuel, other than aviation gasoline, owned by the person on July 1, 2010, the amount of the storage tax, and any other information that the board deems necessary for the proper administration of this part. The return shall be accompanied by a remittance payable to the Controller in the amount of tax due.

(a) Any person who fails to pay the amount of tax shown to be due by his or her return on or before the last day of the month following the monthly period to which it relates shall pay a penalty of 10 percent of the tax, together with interest on that tax at the modified adjusted rate per month, or fraction thereof, established pursuant to Section 6591.5, from the date on which the tax became due and payable to the state until the date of payment.
  (b) Any supplier who fails to file a return in accordance with the due date set forth in Section 7651 shall pay a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the tax, exclusive of prepayments, with respect to the period for which the return is required.
  (c) The penalties imposed by this section shall be limited to a maximum of 10 percent of the tax for which the return is required, exclusive of any prepayments, for any one return.

(a) If the board finds, taking into account all facts and circumstances, that it is inequitable to compute interest at the modified adjusted rate per month or fraction thereof, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 6591.5, interest shall be computed at the modified adjusted daily rate from the date on which the tax or prepayment was due until the date of payment, if all of the following occur:
  (1) The payment of tax or the prepayment was made one business day after the date the tax or prepayment was due.
  (2) The person was granted relief from all penalties that applied to that payment of tax or prepayment.
  (3) The person files a request for an oral hearing before the board.
  (b) For purposes of this section, "modified adjusted daily rate" means the modified adjusted rate per annum as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 6591.5 determined on a daily basis by dividing the modified adjusted rate per annum by 365.
  (c) For purposes of this section, "board" means the members of the State Board of Equalization meeting as a public body.
  (d) For purposes of this section, "business day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or any day designated as a state holiday.
  (e) This section shall not apply to any payment made pursuant to a deficiency determination, a determination where no return has been filed, or a jeopardy determination issued by the board.
  (f) This section shall only apply to electronic payments or prepayments of taxes.
  (g) This section shall be operative only until January 1, 2016.

The board for good cause may extend for not to exceed one month the time for making any report or return or paying any tax required under this part. The extension may be granted at any time if a request therefor is filed with the board within or prior to the period for which the extension may be granted. Any person to whom an extension is granted shall pay, in addition to the tax, interest at the modified adjusted rate per month, or fraction thereof, established pursuant to Section 6591.5, from the date on which the tax would have been due without the extension to the date of payment.

(a) If the board finds that a person's failure to make a timely report, return, or payment is due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the person's control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect, the person may be relieved of the penalty provided by Sections 7655, 7659.5, 7659.6, 7659.9 7660, 7705, and 7713.
  (b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), any person seeking to be relieved of the penalty shall file with the board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts upon which he or she bases his or her claim for relief.
  (c) The board shall establish criteria that provide for efficient resolution of requests for relief pursuant to this section.

(a) If the board finds that a person's failure to make a timely return or payment is due to the person's reasonable reliance on written advice from the board, the person may be relieved of the taxes imposed by this part and any penalty or interest added thereto.
  (b) For purposes of this section, a person's failure to make a timely return or payment shall be considered to be due to reasonable reliance on written advice from the board, only if the board finds that all of the following conditions are satisfied:
  (1) The person requested in writing that the board advise him or her whether a particular activity or transaction is subject to tax under this part. The specific facts and circumstances of the activity or transaction shall be fully described in the request.
  (2) The board responded in writing to the person regarding the written request for advice, stating whether or not the described activity or transaction is subject to tax, or stating the conditions under which the activity or transaction is subject to tax.
  (3) The liability for taxes applied to a particular activity or transaction which occurred before either of the following:
  (A) Before the board rescinded or modified the advice so given, by sending written notice to the person of the rescinded or modified advice.
  (B) Before a change in statutory or constitutional law, a change in the board's regulations, or a final decision of a court, which renders the board's earlier written advice no longer valid.
  (c) Any person seeking relief under this section shall file with the board all of the following:
  (1) A copy of the person's written request to the board and a copy of the board's written advice.
  (2) A statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts on which the claim for relief is based.
  (3) Any other information which the board may require.
  (d) Only the person making the written request shall be entitled to rely on the board's written advice to that person.

(a) Under regulations prescribed by the board, if:
  (1) A tax liability under this part was understated by a failure to file a return required to be filed under this part, by the omission of an amount properly includable therein, or by erroneous deductions or credits claimed on a return, and the understatement of tax liability is attributable to one spouse; or any amount of the tax reported on a return was unpaid and the nonpayment of the reported tax liability is attributable to one spouse.
  (2) The other spouse establishes that he or she did not know of, and had no reason to know of, that understatement or nonpayment.
  (3) Taking into account whether or not the other spouse significantly benefited directly or indirectly from the understatement or the nonpayment and taking into account all other facts and circumstances, it is inequitable to hold the other spouse liable for the deficiency in tax attributable to that understatement or nonpayment, then the other spouse shall be relieved of liability for tax (including interest, penalties, and other amounts) to the extent that the liability is attributable to that understatement or nonpayment of tax.
  (b) For purposes of this section, the determination of the spouse to whom items of understatement or nonpayment are attributable shall be made without regard to community property laws.
  (c) This section shall apply to all calendar months subject to the provisions of this part, but shall not apply to any calendar month that is more than five years from the final date on the board-issued determination, five years from the return due date for nonpayment on a return, or one year from the first contact with the spouse making a claim under this section; or that has been closed by res judicata, whichever is later.
  (d) For purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), "reason to know" means whether or not a reasonably prudent person would have had reason to know of the understatement or nonpayment.
  (e) For purposes of this section, with respect to a failure to file a return or an omission of an item from the return, "attributable to one spouse" may be determined by whether a spouse rendered substantial service as a supplier entering, removing, or selling taxable motor vehicle fuel or an aircraft jet fuel dealer selling or using taxable aircraft jet fuel to which the understatement is attributable. If neither spouse rendered substantial services as a supplier or aircraft jet fuel dealer, then the attribution of applicable items of understatement shall be treated as community property. An erroneous deduction or credit shall be attributable to the spouse who caused that deduction or credit to be entered on the return.
  (f) Under procedures prescribed by the board, if, taking into account all the facts and circumstances, it is inequitable to hold the other spouse liable for any unpaid tax or any deficiency (or any portion of either) attributable to any item for which relief is not available under subdivision (a), the board may relieve the other spouse of that liability.
  (g) For purposes of this section, registered domestic partners, as defined in Section 297 of the Family Code, have the same rights, protections, and benefits as provided by this section, and are subject to the same responsibilities, obligations, and duties as imposed by this section, as are granted to and imposed upon spouses.
  (h) The relief provided by this section shall apply retroactively to liabilities arising prior to the effective date of this section.

If the board finds that a person's failure to make a timely return or payment was due to a disaster, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care and the absence of willful neglect, the person may be relieved of the interest provided by Sections 7655, 7656, 7659.9, 7661, and 7706. Any person seeking to be relieved of the interest shall file with the board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts upon which he or she bases his or her claim for relief.

(a) The board, in its discretion, may relieve all or any part of the interest imposed on a person by this part where the failure to pay tax is due in whole or in part to an unreasonable error or delay by an employee of the board acting in his or her official capacity.
  (b) For purposes of this section, an error or delay shall be deemed to have occurred only if no significant aspect of the error or delay is attributable to an act of, or a failure to act by, the person.
  (c) Any person seeking relief under this section shall file with the board a statement under penalty of perjury setting forth the facts on which the claim for relief is based and any other information which the board may require.
  (d) The board may grant relief only for interest imposed on tax liabilities that arise during taxable periods commencing on or after January 1, 2000.

Every payment on a delinquent tax shall be applied as follows:
  (a) First, to any interest due on the tax.
  (b) Second, to any penalty imposed by this part.
  (c) The balance, if any, to the tax itself.